Bush Barn Cottage

Bush Barn Cottage is a cottage dating from around 1659, with a later addition built circa 1700. It is located in Silverhill, near Robertsbridge. The northern bay of the cottage dates to circa 1659, and the southern bay to circa 1700, with largely renewed windows in the 20th century and a small, late 20th century addition to the rear. Originally timber-framed, the ground floor of the front elevation is now painted brick, while the first floor is tile-hung, with the timber frame visible on the right-hand side and large daub panels. The cottage has a steeply pitched, peg-tiled roof with a central brick chimneystack. It is two storeys high, with two windows. The windows are mainly 20th century casements in a traditional style. A central gabled wooden porch is supported by wooden piers, and there is a catslide roof to the rear, along with a small, flat-roofed 20th century extension. The original plan of 1659 was for a single-bay lobby entrance wayside cottage, likely with an outshot, to which a further bay with an outshot was added around 1700.

The interior was not inspected. However, a report from the Rape of Hastings indicates the presence of two open fireplaces with plain timber lintels. Both sections retain their original roof structure, which is of a paired-rafter type; the southern part has a hipped terminal with a high-set collar.

The cottage is referenced in John Lord’s tithe book of 1659 as the new house of Darsey Anscombe, occupied by Richard Loaver, which was assessed for tithes. Wayside cottages of the 17th century are rare in Sussex.